As we approach Banned Books Week we are reminded that some books are censored before they reach their intended audience. A librarian, teacher, or parent may try to avoid a tough topic by not purchasing a book for a collection - that is a form of censorship. The Freedom to Read Foundation works to promote diverse books and provide access to information - therefore challenging censorship of all forms.

In this post, guest blogger, librarian, and educator Deah Hester shares popular current and upcoming titles related to racial conflict and tension. The titles are for young adults and children, and Hester includes compelling reasons to add these to your reading list or collection.

This week the National Book Awards longlist came out, and one of the books listed was “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas. Published in February 2017, “The Hate U Give” has skyrocketed to the top of reading lists for young adults across the country, as well as scooping up some very prestigious awards. In addition to having a record 13 publishing houses bid for the publishing rights (Harper Collins’ Balzer+Bray won), the book has been optioned as a movie (filming began last week), and has been on the New York Times Bestseller List for months.

Hearing Angie Thomas speak at the Library of Congress National Book Festival was thrilling. Immediately I noticed that the audience for her presentation was the most diverse of all the speakers I listened to that day. Readers as young as 10 were lined up waiting to enter the room, as well as senior teachers and librarians. The attendees were black, white, and all shades in between, and as Ms. Thomas spoke about what moved her to write her book, I could hear fingers snapping, “amens,” light applause and “preach, sister” in response to her words.

Ms. Thomas grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, and witnessed a drug deal shoot-out when she was 6 years old. The next day her mother took her to the public library, showing her another side of her community. When she was in college, she listened to news reports about the shooting of an unarmed black man, Oscar Grant, who was shot and killed by the police. From that incident, the idea for “The Hate U Give” was born. After turning in the short story for a creative writing class at university, she was encouraged to continue the story as a novel.

While working as a secretary for a bishop, she wrote the book in her spare time. Although it was initially rejected by more than 60 publishers, she was able to get the book published with the help of We Need Diverse Books, winning its inaugural award.

“The Hate U Give” is not the only recently published book about police brutality, shootings and speaking up for the truth. Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely’s “All American Boys” was published in late 2015, and went on to win major awards in 2016. The authors spoke at schools, communities and book festivals, and won both the Coretta Scott King Author book award and the Walter Dean Myers Award.

“All American Boys” is told by two alternating narrators: Rashad, a black boy who has been beaten by a police officer who mistakenly thought he was shoplifting, and Quinn, a white boy from school who witnesses the assault and is a family friend of the police officer.

A year earlier, Kekla Magoon’s “How it Went Down” tackled a similar subject. It was published in 2014 and features the shooting of a black teen by a white man living in the same neighborhood. The book is told from the points of view of several people who saw the event, heard about the event, or knew the shooter or the victim. Each chapter offers a different take on “what went down,” as the neighborhood navigates the after-effects from the residents, the police and the media.

When I heard Angie Thomas speak at the National Book Festival, a teacher in the audience asked her, “How can I explain to my very young students — first graders— about topics such as police brutality, Black Lives Matter, neighborhood riots and violence against unarmed citizens?” Ms. Thomas told her, “You teach them that empathy is more important than sympathy.”

That got me thinking about children’s books that address this timely topic. Here are a few that are new or upcoming for our very young readers.

“Momma, Did You Hear the News,” by Sanya Whittaker Gragg, is a picture book that features a boy whose parents decide he’s old enough to have “the talk” with him after he sees the news about a police shooting. His parents teach him to come back “A-L-I-V-E,” with each letter featuring advice on how to behave if he encounters the police. The book was published in April 2017.

Published in January 2017, “The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist,” by author Cynthia Levinson (award-winning author of “We’ve Got a Job,” about the Birmingham Children’s March) tells the story of the youngest person to be arrested at a civil rights protest. She was 9 years old.

And debuting next month (October 2017) is a picture book titled “Lovely” by Jess Hong, which features people who are “big, small, curly, straight, loud, quiet…” and helps young readers gain an appreciation for all the things that make us different from one another… and the same.

As parents, teachers and librarians, we can, as Angie Thomas challenged, instill empathy in our youngest readers, and they in turn will grow up to be the kind of teens and then adults who will appreciate the differences among us and not turn a blind eye when discrimination and oppression happen to people who “look different” to them. They will fight for the freedoms of all people, regardless of the way they look, where they live, or where they come from. Just as “dystopia” was hot in young adult books a few years ago, it appears that “diversity” is a trend that is here to stay for a while.

Deah Hester lives and works as a librarian in Virginia. After teaching abroad for ten years, she returned to the United States and became a high school librarian. In her spare time, she enjoys reading young adult literature and blogging about libraries and literacy at www.deahreads.wordpress.com.

]]>Tue, 19 Sep 2017 20:31:48 GMT The Power of Wordshttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=274171
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=274171Emily Visness, The Bookish Advocate, shared her April 11 blog post, “The Power of Words” with us. Emily is a middle school teacher, mom, blogger, and reading advocate. Her post was inspired by the recent release of ALA's Banned Books Week theme for 2017, and the top ten list of most challenged books for 2016.

Thank you for sharing this important perspective with FTRF blog followers!.

]]>Thu, 27 Apr 2017 21:06:07 GMTCelebrate the Freedom to Read with a Grant from FTRFhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=273866
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=273866Free people read freely! Would you like to create an exciting program, host a community conversation, or create an exciting display celebrating the freedom to read?

Applications are open for libraries and organizations to receive a grant from FTRF to host a program during Banned Books Weeks, Sept. 24-30, 2017. Grants of $1,000 or $2,500 are offered through the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund.

To see examples of the organizations and projects that past recipients have created, and to apply, please visit FTRF.org. The application deadline is May 12, 2017.

]]>Mon, 24 Apr 2017 18:09:03 GMTInvesting in Each Otherhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=273626
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=273626I was proofing the latest issue of the Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy and read the powerful lead story about Gordon Conable. Conable, at one time the president of the Freedom to Read Foundation, got embroiled in a public challenge to Madonna's book Sex. At the time of the challenge, he was director of the Monroe County Library System in Michigan. The controversy was so bitter and so deep — there were death threats against both Conable and his 5-year-old son — that eventually Conable and his family left the community altogether.

Let me emphasize that Conable was almost the perfect librarian for the cause. Publicly and privately, Conable maintained a calm, articulate, tactful, and principled demeanor. It's hard to imagine a better spokesperson for intellectual freedom. He continually emphasized the First Amendment, library policy, and the teachable moment of a community dialogue.

While there was certainly some support for him and his family, there was also almost unimaginable community nastiness. His wife said she believes the stress eventually led to his high blood pressure and untimely death.

So my thoughts turn to something this month that I believe deserves greater consideration. We — members of the Freedom to Read Foundation — are part of a values-centered community. We know that we have an obligation to stand up for the principles of the Library Bill of Rights. But I want to emphasize that we have another obligation: to notice when one of us is in trouble, and to rally not just to the defense of a book, but to the defense of our champions. Very often, when we receive reports of challenges at the Office for Intellectual Freedom, the librarians are genuinely worried. They know that speaking truth to a power that grows secretive and authoritarian is a risky business. One can lose one's livelihood, and also an underlying faith in humanity.

You'll see that we're pushing a number of opportunities in this issue. First is the Conable Scholarship, dedicated to this brave man, and to a rising generation we hope will be inspired by his example (the scholarship pays to get people to ALA conferences). We are also offering scholarships for library and information science (LIS) students around the country, and grants for Banned Books Week through the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund. Judy, of course, was another fierce defender of intellectual freedom and libraries. Of course, we also support the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund, which provides direct financial aid to those fighting IF battles or workplace discrimination.

So I want to encourage you to contribute to these causes, if you can, but even more importantly, to reach out to encourage applications to scholarships and creative Banned Books Week funding. Ultimately, our investment is not just in ideas. It is in each other.

James LaRue
Office for Intellectual Freedom & The Freedom to Read Foundation

]]>Thu, 20 Apr 2017 20:43:15 GMTFTRF Joins Statement in Support of Freedom of the Presshttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=269725
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=269725

Statement in Support of Freedom of the Press

“In the First Amendment the Founding Fathers gave the free press the protection it must have to fulfill its essential role in our democracy. The press was to serve the governed, not the governors. The Government's power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would remain forever free to censure the government.”Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black

As organizations committed to the First Amendment right of freedom of speech and the press, we are alarmed by the efforts of the President and his administration to demonize and marginalize the media and to undermine their ability to inform the public about official actions and policies.

Such efforts include the President’s refusal to answer questions posed by a reporter from CNN because the President asserts it promotes “fake news”; charges that the media “manipulated” images of the inauguration; false accusations that the media has covered up terrorist attacks; and repeated claims that the media is “failing” and “dishonest.”All of this recently culminated in the President calling the New York Times, CBS, CNN, ABC, and NBC News “the enemy of the American People!” and in the exclusion of representatives of various media outlets from a press briefing. In these and other examples, the President and his designees have attempted to villainize and discredit the press for any reporting he dislikes.However, the job of the press is not to please the President but to inform the public, a function that is essential to democracy.

The expressions of disdain for the press and its role in democracy by federal officials send a signal to state and local officials.In the aftermath of an election season that witnessed outright intimidation of journalists in communities around the country, there is a compelling need for highly placed federal officials to acknowledge the crucial role of a free press under our Constitution and the responsibility of government officials at all levels to respect it. In one chilling example, multiple individuals who identified themselves as journalists were arrested, detained, and charged with felonies while simply doing their job: reporting on Inauguration Day protests in Washington, D.C. Those arrests were made by local police and pursued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, both of which displayed an alarming lack of concern for fundamental constitutional rights.The fact that those charges have since been dropped suggests that the arrests were unwarranted and highlights the need for our nation’s leaders to set national policy that unequivocally supports a free and independent press and the public’s right to know.

Our Constitution enshrines the press as an independent watchdog and bulwark against tyranny and official misconduct. Its function is to monitor and report on the actions of public officials so that the public can hold them accountable.The effort to delegitimize the press undermines democracy, and officials who challenge the value of an independent press or question its legitimacy betray the country’s most cherished values and undercut one of its most significant strengths.

The First Amendment protects the right to protest, dissent, and petition government for a redress of grievances, but these rights cannot be exercised without a free press that provides information to the public.Together, these rights represent the constitutionally sanctioned method for the public to oppose government policies and activities and to seek change.The wisdom of this system can be seen in parts of the world where such a right does not exist, or is not honored, and violent opposition is the only available avenue to express opposition or remedy injustice.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms all efforts by elected and appointed officials to penalize, delegitimize, or intimidate members of the press.

In the past few years I’ve made an extra effort to read books by and about people from marginalized groups. The reasons are many, ranging from a desire for personal growth and understanding of people who are different from myself to simply wanting to liven up my reading life, but the main reason I read diversely is my students. I co-teach in 8th grade Language Arts and Social Studies classes in a Title 1 middle school (a school that receives federal financial assistance due to a high percentage of students from low-income families), and much of my job consists of getting kids to read. My students often don’t know what to read, or how to find a book that suits them, so I give a lot of book recommendations. Sometimes I give students books that reflect their own life experiences. Other times I recommend books to students with characters whose lives are different from their own. I believe that when students read a diverse array of stories they have the opportunity to grow into dynamic, empathetic, self-confident and accepting people. However, sometimes age-appropriate books with diverse characters are quietly removed from school libraries and classrooms because adults think the subject matter is inappropriate for kids. This is an effort to erase the experiences of certain groups of people. As a teacher of kids who identify with those groups, I believe it’s my responsibility to fight against that in any way I can.

Out of all the forms of censorship, quiet censorship is, to me, the most insidious. An act of quiet censorship is done through one person’s private decision to keep kids from accessing a book because the book conflicts with that person’s own beliefs. In other words, the adult either removes a book or doesn’t include a book in a collection because they believe something about the book is wrong or inappropriate, and therefore no child should read about it. This differs from self-censorship, which is when an adult removes or excludes a book to avoid the possibility of offending others, even when they have not been officially told to do so. The thing is, many schools have students living the experiences that are kept from them through acts of quiet censorship. Kids shouldn’t be made to feel that their stories are not worth telling. I’ve seen firsthand the excitement of a student reading a story about a character who looks like him or her, or has a similar life situation, or practices the same religion, or is also struggling with mental health. Although I try to know my students as well as possible, I often don’t know every aspect of their lives, and students have things they keep private. I may not know which student will need that book, but I certainly want that book to be available to students who need it!

Acts of quiet censorship by other adults are out of my control because, frankly, I probably won’t hear about them. It’s the nature of quiet censorship. I don’t even know of any instances in my school, although I’ve occasionally heard workroom stories about it happening in other schools. What is in my control is to create a positive, trusting relationship with students so they know I will advocate for them, and one way I can do that is by sharing diverse stories with them. I teach students of different races, religions, and sexual orientations, students who have various family structures, students who have disabilities (both visible and invisible), students who are immigrants, students with mental health issues, students whose families are dealing with addiction, students who live in foster families, and students who live in poverty. Their individual struggles are immense, yet they are brave, and bold, and resilient. We say that books are windows and mirrors. It’s every student’s right to look into that mirror, or through that window, and be validated by seeing themselves or grow by seeing someone else in the pages of a book.

Every year in one of my 8th grade ELA classes, my co-teacher and I hold a drawing for a student’s chance to read All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely (I only have one copy in my classroom library, hence the drawing). The drawing is held as the book project for that grading period is introduced, which includes the requirement of finding a news article about a current event that is similar to the conflict in the book a student chooses. All American Boys is a story told from a dual point of view – one black teenage boy and one white teenage boy – and the story centers around an act of police brutality toward an innocent black teen. Once I book-talk this book to our class and give students a chance to include their names in the drawing, I have several hands go up. Most of those hands, with a few exceptions, belong to the black boys. This story is a reality for them as a black teenage boy in America. This book tells the story of what their mothers worry about as they go out into the world each day. They are interested in reading this story because it could so easily, and frighteningly, be their own. Who am I to keep them from this story? This is only one example, and I don’t always get it right the first time. As a teacher, I do this for every child to the best of my ability. It’s my responsibility and my privilege to read diverse books for them, recommend diverse books to them, and promote diversity in the choosing of books for their school.

My school’s library has a great selection of diverse books, and our librarian goes above and beyond to make sure the collection is inclusive. We’re lucky - there are many options for my students to choose from. While accessibility is key, I don’t just put diverse books like All American Boys on my classroom library shelf and hope kids find it. I share it with them. We as teachers and librarians must fight quiet censorship by actively recommending diverse books for curriculum adoption, summer reading lists, school book clubs, or a class book study. We must book-talk diverse books to students and introduce them to new stories. We must challenge them to read books with characters who are different from themselves. We must give them stories they can identify with to show them that their own stories matter. We can fight quiet censorship by making the voices of the inclusive louder than those of the exclusive.

We as teachers and librarians have the power to collectively change the norm, reset the default, upset the status quo; we just have to use it.

Emily is a Title 1 middle school teacher who promotes reading to her students and actively attempts to put relevant books into their hands, a mom who is raising passionate readers, a believer in the importance of diverse literature for young people, a lover of banned or challenged books, and an advocate for all students’ right to read. She writes about her experiences, thoughts, and beliefs surrounding reading and books on her blog The Bookish Advocate (thebookishadvocate.wordpress.com). You can also find her on Facebook (The Bookish Advocate), Twitter (@bookishadvocate), and Instagram (TheBookishAdvocate).

In the United States, following a campaign in which the winning candidate called many Mexican immigrants criminals and rapists, threatened to jail a political opponent, and vowed to make it easier to sue the media, many fear that a nativist, nationalist, even authoritarian movement has returned to our shores.

I said, “returned.” In preparing for a webinar called “ALA’s Essentials in Intellectual Freedom,” I was reading about the creation of librarianship’s core document: the Library Bill of Rights. The first version was drafted in 1938 by Forrest Spaulding, then director of the Des Moines Public Library. It was occasioned by, and intended to speak out against, the “growing intolerance, suppression of free speech and censorship affecting the rights of minorities and individuals.”

A year later, that revised document was adopted by the American Library Association. It has become the most enduring and fundamental statement of our professional values.

As I’ve been exploring the landscape of intellectual freedom this year, I think the Library Bill of Rights is worth another and closer look. To that end, I’m pleased to offer this free download to a handy pocket version of the Library Bill of Rights, and the Freedom to Read Statement. Print out as many copies as you like, and hand it out to as many people as you can.

I’m also excited to offer this teaser for an upcoming new product: the Library Bill of Rights poster. Suitable for framing, it will be available from the ALA Store in late December. I would like to see it proudly displayed in every library board room in the nation. Every departing board member should get one for his or her home.

It’s hard to know if the heated rhetoric of a raucous political campaign will translate once again into the turmoil that followed the late 1930s. But it’s clear that the Freedom to Read Foundation, and its willingness to stand up for the values that ground and define us, will be needed in the years to come. If you just got a renewal notice, please consider rounding that up. When you get a letter from us talking about a donation opportunity – think about what’s at stake.

]]>Tue, 29 Nov 2016 20:43:18 GMTBBW Event Brings Freedom to Read and Environmental Issues Togetherhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=246766
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=246766On the evening of Friday, April 15, Banned: A community conversation about censorship and free speech (Banned) and Friends of Hemming Park co-hosted The Lorax Movie and Green Market, a family-friendly event in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Event activities tied together two important issues during the week preceding Earth Day: the need to protect trees and our environment and the freedom to read. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is a favorite banned classic that highlights the environmental impact of deforestation; the Year of the Trees was the Earth Day 2016 theme.

Since Fall 2015, Banned and its collaborative partners have presented more than 70 programs at libraries, museums, college campuses and other venues throughout Duval and St. Johns counties to inform the public on issues of censorship and free speech.

]]>Wed, 11 May 2016 15:54:22 GMTFTRF and GSLIS at Illinois announce intellectual freedom course and scholarship opportunitieshttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=242921
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=242921The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) and the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Illinois) are pleased to announce a partnership to offer an online graduate-level course on intellectual freedom for library and information science (LIS) students around the country. The course, in its third year, will be taught by GSLIS professor Emily Knox, who was awarded a 2015 Instructor of the Year award by the WISE (Web-based Information Science Education) consortium for the course. It is a project of the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund.

“Intellectual Freedom and Censorship” is a 2-credit course and will meet online Tuesdays August 23–October 11, 2016. It is open to any student enrolled in an LIS degree program. As part of the collaboration, Freedom to Read Foundation staff and volunteers will lend their expertise as guest speakers, and FTRF and ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom archival materials will be made available to students.

“Our culture is at a tipping point, a shift in its tolerance for the First Amendment. It is imperative that today’s library students have a deep and thoughtful exposure to the value of free speech. And who better to receive it from than the 2015 WISE instructor of the year?” said James LaRue, Director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom and the Freedom to Read Foundation.

“I’m excited to teach the intellectual freedom and censorship class again this Fall,” said Professor Emily Knox. “The course is one of the highlights of my semester. I, like the students, enjoy listening and learning from our weekly speakers and I love our spirited class discussions.”

]]>Tue, 29 Mar 2016 16:09:32 GMTApplications for the Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship are now open!https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=240564
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=240564The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) offers an annual scholarship for library school students and new professionals to attend ALA's Annual Conference. The goal of the Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship is to advance two principles that Gordon held dear: intellectual freedom and mentoring.

]]>Tue, 1 Mar 2016 17:54:06 GMTBring Thomas Paine to your library and encourage intellectual freedomhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=239332
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=239332With a new twist on banned books, ALA-OIF is partnering with Ian Ruskin world renowned actor and playwright. Starting this spring, Ian Ruskin is offering libraries an opportunity to provide Sneak Preview Screenings of To Begin the World Over Again: the Life of Thomas Paine.

The film on the life of Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense, will be aired on public TV this Presidential election year. Thomas Paine wrote about ideas that were so controversial he was often imprisoned and fined, and almost executed. His works were banned in Europe and anyone who distributed, read or discussed his books faced prosecution.

This is a great opportunity for libraries to support the ALA and Intellectual Freedom, AND they get a program out of it! (Libraries can also contact Ian Ruskin to book a Skype or Google visit.)

For $50, libraries get the license to show the film as an event, DVDs to circulate in their collection, talking points, an action plan, recipes, and a publicity kit with posters, social media banners, and press releases. 10% of these proceeds will go to the American Library Association/the Office for Intellectual Freedom! When people order, they can request Freedom to Read Foundationbrochures free of charge for their patrons.

]]>Wed, 17 Feb 2016 21:51:42 GMTKnowledge Quest Marks the FTRF Changeshttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=235772
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=235772Beginning January 1, 2016, there will be a major change in the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom(OIF) and theFreedom to Read Foundation(FTRF). On December 31, 2015, Barbara Jones, the OIF executive director, retired. She became the executive director of both OIF and FTRF following the death of her mentorJudith Krugin 2009. As an academic librarian…READ MORE

]]>Mon, 4 Jan 2016 20:11:27 GMTJames LaRue to head ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and the Freedom to Read Foundationhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=234450
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=234450We welcome the appointment of James LaRue, Director, ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, and Executive Director, Freedom to Read Foundation, effective January 4, 2016. In his application, LaRue noted “My passion for this core principle of librarianship is tightly bound with my own history….For me, librarianship – and life – is predicated on a respect for the fundamental dignity of individual inquiry.”

James LaRue brings a rich and diverse background to this role. He is currently CEO of LaRue & Associates, with an active career in writing, speaking and consulting. Previously, he was director of the Douglas County Libraries (Colorado) and Library Services Director at the Greeley Public Library (Colorado), with earlier positions at the Lincoln Library (Illinois) and Illinois State University.

LaRue also brings a long history of professional engagement. Among his many activities, he has served on the Bibliographic Center for Research (BCR) Board of Trustees, OCLC Membership Council, and Douglas County Youth Initiative Executive Board. He was president of the Colorado Council for Library Development (2002-2003) and president of the Colorado Library Association (1998-1999). He was named Colorado Librarian of the Year in 1998 and received the Julia J. Boucher Award for Intellectual Freedom from the Colorado Library Association in 2007. In 2004, he was awarded the National Council of Teachers of English/Support for the Learning and Teaching of English Intellectual Freedom Award.

A prolific writer and frequent speaker, his publications include “Self-Publishing: Does It Belong in the Collection,” in Rethinking Collection Development and Management; “The Last One Standing,” Public Libraries (January/February 2002); “Tough Times and Eight Ways to Deal with Them,” American Libraries (January/February 2010); and, The New Inquisition: Understanding and Managing Intellectual Freedom Challenges (2007), among others. He regularly speaks on a range of topics, from libraries in the digital world to leadership and transformation.

James LaRue has a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana) and a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and English (Illinois State University).

As Director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF), James LaRue will work with ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) and Committee on Professional Ethics (COPE), as well as the Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT). OIF provides information to individuals and organizations facing intellectual freedom challenges; plans and promotes initiatives that promote intellectual freedom, privacy and free access to information (including Banned Books Week); and, works closely with others, including the ALA Washington Office, on core information policy issues. The OIF Director also serves as the executive director of the Freedom to Read Foundation, an allied 501(c)(3) organization, and as secretariat for the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund.

LaRue’s appointment follows the December 31, 2015 retirement of Barbara M. Jones as the Director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom.

]]>Tue, 1 Dec 2015 19:09:07 GMTEmily Knox encourages #GivingfREADom!https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=233745
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=233745Emily Knox, assistant professor in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, encourages you to support the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund.

Go to www.ftrf.org to make a donation today!

]]>Tue, 1 Dec 2015 15:47:34 GMT#GivingTuesday #GivingfREADom Starts now!https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=233651
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=233651Nanette Perez, program officer for the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom and proud member of ALA, makes a plea to donate to the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund for the Freedom to Read Foundation. Go to www.ftrf.org to make a donation today!

Instead of standing in lines on Black Friday or paying shipping fees on Cyber Monday to gift a book for someone you care about, donate to protect their freedom to read on #GivingTuesday by#GivingfREADom

Instead of standing in lines on Black Friday or paying shipping fees on Cyber Monday to gift a book for someone you care about, donate to protect their freedom to read on #GivingTuesday by #GivingfREADom.

]]>Mon, 30 Nov 2015 20:43:41 GMTFTRF celebrates its 46th birthday!https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=232754
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=232754Birthday shout-out from Knowledge Quest, the Journal of the American Association of School Librarians.

Are you familiar with the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF)? On November 20, 2015, FTRF will celebrate its 46th birthday. Although holding many of the same ideals as the American Library Association, FTRF was founded in 1969 as a discrete organization to protect the First Amendment rights of library users to read and to assist librarians whose jobs were in jeopardy because of their defense of free speech. Although legal action has been a strong tool for FTRF, in recent years, it has increased its focus on educating librarians and the public about the strong connection between the First Amendment and libraries and the need to fight censorship (FTRF Foundation Activities).

This year, on Tuesday, December 1, 2015, Freedom to Read Foundation is participating in #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving.

Last year, more than 27,000 organizations in 68 countries came together to celebrate #GivingTuesday. Since its founding in 2012, #GivingTuesday has inspired giving around the world, resulting in greater donations, volunteer hours, and activities that bring about real change in communities. We invite you to join the movement and to help get out and give this December 1. Some ideas include:

Get your workplace and local government officials, nonprofits, and small businesses involved in #GivingTuesday. Encourage them to officially sign up as partners on the website (www.givingtuesday.org)

Help spread the word about #GivingTuesday. Use the hashtag #GivingTuesday to talk about charity and the causes and organizations you support.

There are many ways to get involved in #GivingTuesday. We encourage you to join the movement and make a difference!

]]>Tue, 17 Nov 2015 20:14:10 GMTFTRF sponsors Jacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaminghttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=230628
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=230628Jacqueline Woodson’smemoir-in-verse, is a rich and poignant description of life as a black child in the 1960s. But in telling her own story so powerfully, she also has painted an indelible portrait of Jim Crow America, both in the South and the North, and resonated with readers and critics alike. The author of more than 30 books, Woodson received the National Book Award for Young People and the Newbery Honor for this latest work. She takes to the CHF stage for a conversation about her life and influences. Artist Krista Franklin will join her for a conversation.

For 25 years, the Chicago Humanities Festival has celebrated the questions that shape and define us as individuals, communities, and cultures. For the curious at heart, CHF's vibrant year-round programming and robust Fall Festival offer the opportunity to engage with some of the world's most brilliant minds. Collaborating with leading arts, cultural, and educational organizations, it presents scholars, artists and architects, thinkers, theologians, and policy makers that change how we see the world, where we're from, and where we're going.

]]>Wed, 21 Oct 2015 21:54:01 GMTBanned Books Trading Cards - A Chapel Hill traditionhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=227849
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=227849Banned Books Trading Cards have become a Chapel Hill tradition. Collect a full set of your own by coming to the Library each day from Sunday September 27 through Saturday, October 3rd. Each day's card is also available at Flyleaf Books and six campus libraries at UNC Chapel Hill.

Here are the winners that have been revealed so far in 2015:

SUNDAY: Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison. Artwork by Libby Fosso

MONDAY: The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck. Art by Colleen Barclay

This year, more than 100 entries were submitted and the winning set features works of collage, watercolor, and pen and ink inspired by authors including John Steinbeck, Maya Angelou, and William Faulkner.

Banned Books Trading Cards have become a Chapel Hill tradition. Join us for a chance to see the winning artwork, meet the artists, and get a first look at ALL of this years’ entries. (There were 101!) Here are the details:

Assistant Professor Emily Knox is the 2015 recipient of the Illinois Library Association (ILA) Intellectual Freedom Award. The award, presented by the ILA Intellectual Freedom Committee, recognizes an individual or group for outstanding contributions in defending intellectual freedom or the advancement of these principles. The award is sponsored by Quality Books Inc. (QBI).

]]>Tue, 8 Sep 2015 22:13:19 GMTFTRF and ALA join amicus brief asserting readers’ First Amendment right to be free of NSA’s online surveillance https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=225897
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=225897The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) and American Library Association (ALA) on Thursday joined with booksellers, international librarians, and research librarians to file an amicus brief defending their ability – and the ability of similar organizations – to challenge on behalf of their users government actions that burden readers' First Amendment rights. The amicus brief was filed in support of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit Wikimedia Foundation v. National Security Agency.

The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation and a broad coalition of educational, human rights, legal, and media organizations. It challenges the National Security Agency's "Upstream" surveillance program. According to NSA, the "Upstream" surveillance program involves copying Internet traffic—including e-mails, chat, web browsing and other communications—as the data traverses the fiber optic backbone of the Internet.

This means that the NSA is looking over every reader's shoulders while they're online, compromising the privacy of every library user and bookstore patron who searches a library's or bookseller's online catalog, obtains an e-book, or consults online databases and journals for research, and deterring individuals from exercising their First Amendment right to obtain and read materials that are controversial or reflect deeply private concerns.

The amicus brief, written by the Electronic Frontier Foundation on behalf of the library and bookseller organizations, explains the importance of privacy to the unfettered exercise of First Amendment rights and argues that libraries, booksellers, and similar organizations can assert the rights of their users related to privacy concerns associated with government access to, and surveillance of, users' reading habits.It further emphasizes the chill on First Amendment rights that results when the government has unrestricted access to the records of what users read and view online.

This event will feature a “read out,” with special guests, including Tish Hinojosa and Mark Smith (Director of the Texas State Library and Archives), reading from their favorite banned books. Audience members are also welcome to read. Attendance is free, but donations to The Freedom to Read Foundation will be gratefully accepted.

]]>Thu, 6 Aug 2015 18:00:39 GMTNinth Circuit Court of Appeals issues decision in lawsuit challenging Arizona’s Ethnic Studies banhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=222547
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=222547CHICAGO — On July 7, 2015, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its opinion in inArce v. Douglas (formerly Arce v. Huppenthal), a lawsuit filed by students in the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD). The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of Arizona Revised Statute § 15-112, which prohibits the use of class materials or books that encourage the overthrow of the government, "promote resentment toward a race or class of people," are "designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group" and "advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals."

]]>Wed, 22 Jul 2015 17:22:12 GMTCome to the FTRF annual member reception next month in SF!https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=217649
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=217649Next month immediately following the FTRF Board of Trustees meeting in San Francisco, please join the trustees, your fellow members, and the winners of the 2015 Conable Conference Scholarships at the annual FTRF Membership Reception.

]]>Wed, 20 May 2015 22:01:12 GMTAuthors Levithan, Mackler & Smith highlight FTRF45 event in NYChttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=217148
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=217148FTRF is excited to announce that authors David Levithan (Boy Meets Boy, Another Day), Carolyn Mackler (The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things) and Jeff Smith (Bone) be appearing at the FTRF45 New York City event on Friday, May 29, in conjunction with BookExpo America. All three have had books subject to significant censorship challenges, and all three are passionate advocates for the freedom to read.

The authors will be signing copies of their books, which will be available on site.

The event will be held from 6:30-9:00 p.m. at the headquarters of Scholastic, 557 Broadway in Manhattan, in their beautiful Greenhouse. Our thanks to Scholastic, as well as co-sponsors New York Public Library and Elsevier, for their support of this event.

]]>Thu, 14 May 2015 17:51:36 GMTNeal, Bloom win 2015 FTRF Roll of Honor Awardshttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=216343
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=216343Congratulations to FTRF Treasurer Jim Neal and First Amendment attorney Jonathan Bloom on their selection as recipients of the Freedom to Read Foundation Roll of Honor Awards. The awards will be presented next month at the Opening General Session of the ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco. Click here to read the press release about the awards.

Neal, who recently retired from his position as University Librarian at Columbia University, has been instrumental in building FTRF's membership and fundraising capacity, and has been a strong public voice for the litigation and advocacy work of the Foundation. Bloom, an attorney at Weil, Gotshal in New York, has been responsible for some of FTRF's key amicus briefs in recent years and, as counsel for the Association of American Publishers Freedom to Read Committee, has built an impressive reputation as a champion of the First Amendment.

The Freedom to Read Foundation Roll of Honor was established in 1987 to recognize and honor those individuals who have contributed substantially through adherence to its principles and/or substantial monetary support.

]]>Wed, 6 May 2015 19:24:43 GMTFederal judge rules Pennsylvania prior restraint law unconstitutionalhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=214916
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=214916On Tuesday, April 28, a federal judge in Pennsylvania struck down the state's "Revictimization Relief Act," agreeing with plaintiffs that it violated the First and Fifth Amendments of the US Constitution.

The law at issue was passed in October 2014, and permitted crime victims to sue convicted offenders to stop "conduct" - including speech - that cause "mental anguish" to the victims. The law was not limited to prisoners - even those completely out of the justice system could be subject to its restrictions. Much of the press surrounding Tuesday's decision focused on controversial prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal, whose commencement address at Goddard College last year took place three days before the bill was introduced and was referenced by then-Governor Tom Corbett when he signed the bill into law.

In his decision, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Christopher Conner wrote, “A past criminal offense does not extinguish the offender’s constitutional right to free expression.” Judge Conner dismissed the state’s argument that the law was a mere regulation of conduct with an incidental impact on speech, and noted that even if that had been the case, the law would still be flawed:

Assuming arguendo that the Act or its history revealed a principal intention to regulate behavior and only an incidental regulation of speech, the court‟s holding would remain unaltered. The Supreme Court has held that when a law “generally functions as a regulation of conduct” it is nonetheless subject to strict scrutiny when “as applied to plaintiffs[,] the conduct triggering coverage under the statute consists of communicating a message.” Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project, 561 U.S. 1, 27-28 (2012).

As reported in the March edition of FTRF News, the Freedom to Read Foundation filed an amicus brief in the case in February, arguing that allowing judges to issue injunctions in accordance with the law constitutes prior restraint "on a limitless range of speech, including matters of public interest, such as deterring crime, rehabilitation of prisoners, prison conditions, and fundamental issues of justice."

Will you be in or around the Austin, Texas area on Wednesday, April 15? If so, please consider joining the Freedom to Read Foundation as we gather at Uncle Julio's as part of our continued celebration of FTRF45! Visit www.ftrf.org/event/FTRF45_Austin for tickets and additional details.

This event will feature award-winning Young Adult author David Levithan. David will be discussing his experiences with censorship and signing copies of Every Day and his forthcoming book, Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story, which will be available to attendees for an additional donation.

For attendees of the Texas Library Association conference: Uncle Julio's is located a block away from the Austin Convention Center

Cosponsored by Texas Women's University School of Library and Information Studies.

Special thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group and Random House Children's Books for their support of this event!

]]>Fri, 10 Apr 2015 17:30:46 GMTDeadline for Conable Conference Scholarship applications extended to April 8https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=212749
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=212749The deadline to apply for the 2015 Conable Conference Scholarship has been extended until Midnight CST on Wednesday, April 8. To apply, visit www.ftrf.org/?Conable_Scholarship.

The Conable Scholarship provides for ALA Annual Conference registration, transportation, housing for six nights, and a $300 stipend for meals and other expenses. The recipient also will receive a one-year membership in the Freedom to Read Foundation. In return, the recipient will be expected to attend various FTRF and other intellectual freedom meetings and programs at conference, consult with a mentor/board member, and present a report about their experiences and thoughts.

The 2015 ALA Annual Conference will be held June 25-30 in San Francisco, CA.

Students currently enrolled in an ALA-accredited library and information studies degree program or an AASL-recognized master’s programs in school librarianship and new professionals (those who are three or fewer years removed from receiving an LIS degree) are eligible to receive the Conable Scholarship.

]]>Fri, 3 Apr 2015 20:14:35 GMTScholarships available for fall "Intellectual Freedom & Censorship" at University of Illinoishttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=212560
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=212560The Freedom to Read Foundation and University of Illinois' Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) today announced a continuation of our successful collaboration on "Intellectual Freedom and Censorship" - a two-credit online course for graduate students. The collaboration is a project of FTRF's Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund.

This year, FTRF is pleased to announce we are offering four half-scholarships for students in institutions other than GSLIS. If you are - or know of - a student who would be interested in this opportunity, please spread the word!

For those who would like to make a donation to the Krug Fund, to help support the scholarships and the course, you can DONATE NOW. Visit www.ftrf.org/?Krug_Fund for more information on this fund.

ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and the Freedom to Read Foundation were involved from the beginning, supporting the students and organizations that sought to keep the book in CPS classrooms, publicly protesting the apparent censorship of a critically praised work of literature, and seeking information about the events leading up to the decision to remove the book. In response to a FTRF Freedom of Information Act request that asked for all correspondence and electronic communications related to the decision to remove Persepolis from CPS classrooms, we only received the directives and letters that had already been publicly disclosed, and a copy of the agenda for the chief of schools meeting on March 11, 2013. That document contained no information at all about Persepolis or the decision to remove or recall the book. We remained in the dark about who had filed the initial complaint about Persepolis and who had made the decision to remove the book from CPS classrooms.

Then Jarrett Dapier, an intrepid MLIS candidate at the University of Illinois’ Graduate School of Library and Information Science, filed his own FOIA request in order to gather materials for his paper on school censorship. And in December 2014, CPS provided Dapier with the emails and correspondence we – and other organizations – were​ told did not exist in 2013.

Ben Joravsky of the Chicago Reader has already written about the contents of the emails. With the permission of Mr. Dapier, we are now sharing the actual emails and correspondence – which reveal that, contrary to CPS’ public statements in 2013, there was in fact an effort to remove Persepolis from all schools and libraries in CPS. The emails detail the initial complaint, the decision to remove the book, and the eventual modification of the original directive to remove the book from CPS classrooms and libraries. (It’s important to note that Persepolis remained in school libraries only because a strong reconsideration policy – CPS Policy 604.7 – prevented its removal without sufficient review and due process.) The emails are an object lesson in casual censorship, the ability of one person to pass judgment on a work of literature, and the chaotic decision-making that occurs when a school system fails to have policies in place to address demands to censor classroom materials.

Our thanks to Mr. Dapier for his initiative and perseverance in obtaining these public records.

]]>Wed, 18 Feb 2015 22:04:44 GMTRemembering David Cohen, 1909-2015https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=208722
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=208722The library world lost a true giant last week with the passing of David Cohen on Thursday, February 5. David received the FTRF Roll of Honor Award in 2005, just one of his many, many accolades honoring a career that spanned eight decades.

According to David's friend, Rocco Staino, David's family has requested that donations in his name be made to the Freedom to Read Foundation. We are deeply honored by this. If you would like to make such a donation, please do so here.

We have created a special page to honor David here. It includes photos, a list of honors and awards, and the text of his Roll of Honor citation. If you know of anything we can add, please let us know in the comments of this post or by contacting Jonathan Kelley at jokelley@ala.org. Also, we'd love to read your memories of David in the comments.

From FTRF Executive Director Barbara Jones:

In the 1970s, fresh out of library school, I wanted to get involved with ALA. Intellectual freedom was my choice for focus. Then at NYU, I called David Cohen to ask how to get involved in IFRT. Within a couple of days, I was on the ballot to run for Secretary and the rest is history. David was generous like that.

From FTRF Program Officer Jonathan Kelley:

My most vivid memory of David Cohen was sitting backstage with him in 2005 as he waited to receive his Roll of Honor Award. Also waiting with us was then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama. Senator Obama went out of his way to congratulate David on his award, and they chatted for a bit. Later, during his keynote address, the senator prefaced his remarks by commenting on how impressed he was by the 96-year-old.​

To many of his peers and colleagues, David is known as "Mr. Intellectual Freedom." His commitment to the principles have governed his professional career, as well as his personal life. He is one of the founders of the Long Island Coalition Against Censorship, and through this organization and many other means, he has worked unstintingly to make his beliefs a reality.

]]>Fri, 13 Feb 2015 02:28:49 GMTFTRF at ALA Midwinter 2015 - good times, great workhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=207860
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=207860The blizzard that struck Chicago this weekend did not chill the spirits of FTRF members, trustees, and new friends at the 2015 Midwinter Meeting.

This morning, FTRF president Julius C. Jefferson, Jr. presented the Foundation's biannual Report to ALA Council and gave an overview of the litigation, education, and organization building efforts of the Foundation. The written report is available here.

On Saturday, legendary comic creator Jeff Smith gave a humorous, impassioned talk about his artistic journey and the experience of having BONE challenged in schools and libraries. It was at once FTRF's 9th annual Midwinter author event, and the second successful reception connected to FTRF45. We have some photos of the event on our Facebook page.

On Thursday, prior to the Board Meeting, the trustees and liaisons sat down to look at the progress of FTRF's current Strategic Plan and make suggestions about how to continue its implementation in the five areas of awareness, litigation, education, engagement, and capacity building. The ideas generated will be compiled and posted to our website in the coming weeks.

The event is on the 10th floor. There will be people on the main floor to direct you to the reception

Refreshments, including wine and beer, are included in the ticket price

Sequence of events:

7:00 p.m. - doors open, reception begins

7:45 p.m. - program featuring Jeff Smith

8:30 p.m. - book signing and more reception

9:00 p.m. - doors close

Books: Complimentary galleys of the upcoming BONE: Out of Boneville, Tribute Edition will be available for all attendees. Additionally, a limited number of the original BONE: Out of Boneville hardcover copy will be available onsite, with an optional donation fee requested. Attendees are welcome to bring their own copies of Jeff's books to be signed. Our thanks to Scholastic for their support of this event!

Our thanks to Roosevelt University and Scholastic for their support of this event!

]]>Wed, 14 Jan 2015 21:46:35 GMTJoin us Saturday in SLC to remember a great womanhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=206365
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=206365This coming Saturday, the Freedom to Read Foundation will be hosting a reception in Salt Lake City to celebrate the legacy of Emily Wheelock Reed, a librarian who faced tremendous adversity and yet rose above it to defend the freedom to read - and basic human rights.

Joining us will be special guests:

Leah Farrell, Staff Attorney, ACLU of Utah

Kenneth Jones, playwright, Alabama Story

Patricia Polacco, author, In Our Mothers' House​ (via Skype)

Alberta Comer, Dean of University Libraries, University of Utah

The reception will be part of the #FTRF45 series of events commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Freedom to Read Foundation - of which Reed was a charter member. In fact, the event will take place on the exact 45th anniversary of the first FTRF Board Meeting, at the 1970 American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Chicago.

This event is being held in conjunction with the middle weekend of Alabama Story, a new play by Jones, that dramatizes the confrontation between Reed and segregationist legislators in late-1950s Alabama. The play, which has received great reviews (see here and here), puts Reed's story in the context of its times, and asks many questions that are still with us today. You can learn more about Jones' vision in this great podcast by KUER's RadioWest.

In addition to celebrating Reed (who was the recipient of the FTRF Roll of Honor Award in 2000), the reception will highlight work FTRF has done in Utah over the years in protecting free speech, including supporting Jeanne Layton in the 1980s and more recently, librarians in the Davis County Public Schools defending access to In Our Mothers' House.

Tickets are available at www.ftrf.org/event/FTRF45_SLC. Tickets are $25 for the general public, and $20 for FTRF members, Utah Library Association members, and anyone with a ticket to either of the two January 17 performances of Alabama Story. For an additional donation, attendees can reserve a signed copy of In Our Mothers' House and copies of The Rabbits' Wedding, one of the books at the center of the controversy depicted in the play.

Many thanks to the University of Utah Libraries, Quinney Law Library, and the Utah Library Association for their support of this event!

Bonus: Here's Toby Graham, the librarian who brought Reed's story to the attention of FTRF's Roll of Honor Committee, in a video he created that will be shown at the reception.

]]>Tue, 13 Jan 2015 18:11:28 GMTAntigone update: Judge stays enforcement of AZ "nude image" lawhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=204140
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=204140Last Wednesday (November 26), the judge in Antigone Books v. Horne, FTRF's suit challenging Arizona's "nude image" law, entered an order staying enforcement of the law. The order was issued based on an agreement by plaintiffs and the state, with the understanding that the state legislature will possibly be reconsidering the law in its forthcoming legislative session.

The Media Coailtion, which is coordinating the lawsuit for FTRF and fellow plaintiffs, has issued a press release about the order.

]]>Wed, 3 Dec 2014 18:56:17 GMTSupport FTRF on #GivingTuesdayhttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=204055
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=204055For 45 years, the Freedom to Read Foundation has dedicated itself to protecting the right of libraries to provide access to the world of knowledge and ideas. This #GivingTuesday, consider making a donation to the Freedom to Read Foundation, and help us keep censorship efforts at bay.

Thanks to everyone who has made this such a successful 2014. FTRF has done good and important work in the courts, in libraries, in the classroom, and in the virtual world. Help us continue that work in 2015!

]]>Tue, 2 Dec 2014 20:25:22 GMTEnjoy the #FTRF45 Kickoff videohttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=203439
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=203439Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate the Freedom to Read Foundation's 45th Anniversary with our Google Hangout! As promised, the kickoff was recorded and is available for all to view below:

Enjoy the video, and stay tuned to this page starting next month for announcements of special events and activities connected with #FTRF45!

]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2014 17:40:43 GMTHappy #FTRF45! https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=203121
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=20312145 years ago today, the Freedom to Read Foundation articles of incorporation were filed in Illinois, establishing an organization that has in the intervening years provided essential help to libraries and librarians facing censorship challenges.

In celebration of today's anniversary, the ALA Archives (which houses FTRF's archives) put together a blog post discussing some of FTRF's founding and achievements.

An excerpt:

The Freedom to Read Foundation’s first president was Alexander P. Allain, an attorney, and considered one of the 100 greatest library leaders. In the first newsletter put out by the Freedom to Read Foundation he outlined the Foundation’s goals:

For many years librarians have looked to the Library Bill of Rights for guidelines insuring intellectual freedom in materials selection. [...] It is, however, only a statement of principle. It has no standing in law. No “rights” accrue from it, even though it constitutes the library profession’s interpretation of the First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution. The Freedom to Read Foundation believes the profession must now attempt to establish legal precedents, through case law, to make the Library Bill of Rights not only a statement of principle, but a principle grounded in law and protected and supported by the nation’s judiciary system. Only when this gain is made can librarians and library governing bodies face pressures to remove materials or to restrict selection, not only with “right” on their side, but with the law as well.

Thanks to the archivists for the help they've provided with the Freedom to Read Foundation archives, and for this post!

]]>Thu, 20 Nov 2014 16:10:07 GMTKick off #FTRF45 with us this Thursday!https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=202819
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=202819November 20, 1969: The Freedom to Read Foundation articles of incorporation filed with the State of Illinois.

November 20, 2014: FTRF members kick off a year-long celebration of our 45th anniversary with a special Google Hangout!

Please join YA author Chris Crutcher, along with FTRF trustees, staff, and members as we hold the first in a series of events celebrating 45 years of defending libraries, library users, and the First Amendment to the Constitution. This event is free and open to all.

Starting in January, FTRF will hold a number of fundraising and awareness-raising events across the country. We'll let you know about events in your area, and other ways you can help support FTRF's litigation and educational efforts. The festivities will culminate in a very special online event next fall.

Make sure to use #FTRF45 for any Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or other social media post referencing these events over the coming 12 months. We look forward to a great turnout!

]]>Mon, 17 Nov 2014 22:37:14 GMTFact sheet on Antigone Books v. Hornehttps://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=202512
https://www.ftrf.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=852091&post=202512Last week, in response to questions from some FTRF members about our participation in Antigone Books v. Horne, FTRF's new lawsuit challenging Arizona's "nude image" statute, we posted a fact sheet on the subject. We encourage you to check it out if you'd like a better understanding of the importance of the case - in particular its importance to librarians and readers. You also can read FTRF Executive Director Barbara Jones' declaration, submitted on October 16. They are two of several documents about the case, and others, on our Current Cases page.

If you are interested in serving on the Freedom to Read Foundation Board of Trustees - or know someone who would be a great candidate - consider submitting a nomination for the 2015 election. Nominations are open now through December 31 and should be sent to FTRF headquarters - see our press release for details.

Nominees must:

Be 2015 members of the Freedom to Read Foundation (contact us if you're not sure of your membership status).

Agree to attend two full-day meetings per year, coinciding with the ALA Annual Conference and Midwinter Meeting. The first meeting will take place on Thursday, June 25 in San Francisco.

Be enthusiastic volunteers, willing to help support the programs and goals of the Freedom to Read Foundation!